Breaking the Third Wall
by Shadow and Phoenix
Summary: Kino visits a new world where she falls into a dangerous war between a rogue member of CROSS and CROSS itself. minor cross-overs, oc's, and violence. Former title: The Line between Reality and Fiction
1. A New World

Title: The Line between Reality and Fiction

Title: The Line between Reality and Fiction

Author: Phoenix

Betas: Shadow, Tohluse

Chapter: A New World

Rating: T

Warnings: swearing, violence

Disclaimer: Kino no Tabi belongs to Keiichi Sigsawa. CROSS, Shiro, and Ryuu belong to Shadow and Phoenix

-&--?--&-

The line between fiction and reality…

Is there any truth to fiction?  
-&--?--&-

The soft light of a motorcycle headlamp cut through the mist covering the road. Sitting atop the motorcycle was a slim rider with a girlish figure. She was wearing a green jacket over a white shirt, and long brown pants. Over the jacket the rider wore a gun belt holding two guns. One, clipped on in the back, was a semiautomatic handgun. The second, being worn on the left side, was a revolver. A brown coat was tucked into the baggage on the motorcycle's carrier.

"Kino, what are you thinking?" A slightly metallic voice rose over the gentle rumble of the motorcycle's engine.

"I'm thinking about the next country Hermes. It's called the Missing Continent." She said calmly, only raising her voice a little to be heard over the engine.

"I hate mist." The metallic voice complained. It was the motorcycle, Hermes, who was talking to the rider

"Sorry Hermes, it shouldn't be far now."

"Oh joy."

They had been driving for about ten minutes and had just crested a hill when the mist began to thin. Cresting a second, smaller hill Kino and Hermes emerged from the mist to find a circular city that gleamed white in the early afternoon light. A black tower emblazoned with a crimson double cross rose from the center and into the sky indefinitely.

Ten minutes later Kino and Hermes were walking along the main street, Kino carrying a traveler's guidebook. The first stop for the pair was a modestly priced restaurant for lunch, and as the local history museum was not far from their intended hotel, Kino chose to make a quick visit before evening.

Together Kino and Hermes headed towards the museum, which was located in the tower in the center of the city. Unnoticed by either, several men watched the pair from a shadowy alley. Hermes shivered slightly, it could have been because they stepped out of the sun, but that didn't seem to be the reason.

"Kino, there's an unpleasant chill in the air. I feel something like bad is about to happen." The motorad said as Kino wheeled him closer to the black tower.

"Relax Hermes; you're only cold because we stepped out of the sun." Kino said dismissively, calmly observing her surroundings.

In the alley the men were speaking quietly

"So...that's the girl." A short, balding man said rather pointlessly. They had been trailing her since she had entered the city.

"Yeah, she's our main target." A tall, thin, weasel-faced man replied, glancing at Kino around an over-flowing garbage can.

"Why can't we capture her now?" The short, balding man asked.

"Too many people about, we would get caught. We'll do it this evening," said the man who stood in the shadows, slowly and sinisterly stroking the butt of the gun that he wore at his hip.

The man motioned for the men to move out. Making sure they couldn't be seen, they quietly followed Kino and Hermes towards the museum.

-&--?--&-

The black tower was almost circular with intricate, labyrinth-like floor plans, a beautifully detailed lobby and a polite sign requesting that visitors wishing to access the upper floors obtain a visitor's pass at the main desk. The main floor of the museum was split into two sections; an outer ring that ran the perimeter of the tower that housed various historical dioramas and the central area that housed a rather extensive and beautiful library with an enchanted stained glass skylight. Making a decision Kino and Hermes started towards the first of the dioramas.

In the library section a young woman, appearing to be just out of her teens, was perusing the shelves. Her short brown hair framed dark eyes and she wore jeans and a blouse with an Asian flair.

"Kino, the models are well made but confusing," Hermes commented after they had finished. "Do you understand them?"

"It confuses me a little bit too Hermes, but it appears that this is a place where the worlds of fiction and reality cross. I guess that we took a different turn that we meant to." Kino answered, studying a diorama of three disk shaped worlds, connected by a black spire through the center of each.

"Ehh?" Hermes said, still fairly confused. Kino sighed, turning Hermes to look at the diorama.

"Apparently two different worlds coexist here. A world created out of stories," Kino pointed to the bottom world in the diorama. "And a world inhabited by those who come up with the stories." Kino pointed to the top world. "That world is inhabited by 'authors'"

"I'm still confused." Hermes said.

"The books may help, they tend to be more informative," said Kino, pushing Hermes towards the nearest door to the library. Parking Hermes near a small table with a reading lamp and a chair, Kino proceeded to search through the history section.

Locating another sizable tome that seemed suitable, the young woman turned. As she did her foot accidentally caught Hermes's back tire and both toppled over with a crash. The books scattered on the ground and the young woman rubbed her bruised elbow.

"Kino! Pick me up; my paint is going to scratch." Hermes whined from his prone position.

"Sorry Hermes." Kino said, grasping his handlebars and picking him up.

As Kino straightened Hermes and set his kickstand, she noticed the other girl.

"Are you all right?" Kino asked politely, leaning over Hermes to get a proper look at her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," the young woman said as she got to her feet and dusted herself off. "I'm Ryuu, by the way."

As their eyes met Kino noticed that Ryuu's short brown hair was very much like her own, and they both shared the trait of brown eyes, though Kino's were a slightly darker shade.

"I'm Kino, and this is my partner Hermes. We're travelers."

"Honored to meet you." Ryuu responded bowing slightly. Straightening up Ryuu noticed the time on a grandfather clock by the door to the main lobby.

"Holy crap I'm late," squeaked Ryuu grabbing a bag that had been hanging over a chair and dashing for the door.

For a moment Kino blinked dazedly. She was brought out of her languid state by Hermes's softly metallic voice.

"She was strange."

"Hermes." Kino admonished.

-&--?--&-

It was approaching dusk when Kino and Hermes left the museum to head back to their hotel. Kino was tired, so she took a quieter route back. She was also walking because she "didn't want to drive in the dark."

The group of men that had been watching the pair since that morning emerged from the alley and quietly followed.

Partially because of the noise Hermes was making and partially because she was tired, Kino didn't notice the danger until it was too late. As she paused for a moment's rest, the sinister, gun-toting man darted out of the shadows and pressed a damp cloth over her nose and mouth.

Kino, struggled for a moment, but the sickly sweet smell of chloroform rendered her unconscious in a matter of seconds.

"Well done Ayame-sama." The weasel-faced man said as Ayame dragged Kino's limp form further into the shadows. Hermes remained motionless and silent, fearing for Kino's safety.

"I would have expected a stronger will to fight, from one as talented as this, but that matters little now. I can have my fun with her later. Now we must hurry before some other unfortunate wanders this way."

"What about the motorcycle?" Asked the short, balding man, gesturing at the parked vehicle. Ayame paused, weighing the possibilities in his head.

"Bring it along, Virgil, but be quiet about it."

Ayame slung Kino over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and disappear into the shadows of the alley in which they had been hiding. Virgil retrieved Hermes from where he had fallen and Shiro and the weasel-faced man into the gathering gloom.

-&--?--&-

Et voila! A story.

Review, pretty please and I'll post the next chapter more quickly. I am asking for one review, one!

Stats (not that anyone cares):

Word Count: 1336

Pages: 4


	2. A Painful Decision

Title: The Line between Reality and Fiction

Title: The Line between Reality and Fiction

Author: Phoenix

Beta: Shadow

Chapter: A Painful Decision

Rating: T

Warnings: swearing, violence, physical and psychological torture

Disclaimer: Kino no Tabi belongs to Keiichi Sigsawa. Seras Victoria belongs to Kohta Hirano. CROSS, Shiro, Carver, and Vergil belong to Shadow and Phoenix

-&--?--&-

Shiro looked up as his subordinate, Seras, entered the room.

"How's the girl?" He enquired. Seras paused.

"She seems fine, but as far as I can tell she hasn't eaten since she got here. It's possible she's trying to starve herself, sir."

"There may be a reason for that," Shiro muttered to himself. "Anyway I wanted to talk to her, accompany her please."

"Yes, sir." Seras paused. "If I may…"

"Continue," Shiro said, scrutinizing Seras.

"She may respect you if you were to use her name," Seras said timidly. Shiro arched an eyebrow at Seras and she lowered her head. She bowed slightly and headed for the door. As she was leaving Shiro called after her, "I almost forgot. If she resists, tell her that I mentioned a motorad."

"Yes sir." Seras said, leaving the office and turning left outside Shiro's door. She headed along a hallway and down a spiral staircase; emerging into a hallway with vaulted ceilings which had doors every few feet. Seras walked down the hallway and paused at the fifth door on the right side. Opening it she stepped into a spacious room with a four-poster bed and a large circular window. Everything was furnished in earth tones, including the deep green curtains that very nearly hid Kino.

"Kino-san you're required, Ayame-sama wishes to speak with you." Seras said politely, remaining on the threshold of the room. Kino turned toward Seras; her eyes cold and hard.

"I may respect you Seras, but I don't respect Ayame, nor will I speak to him." Her tone was polite, but was a definite harshness in her voice when she mentioned Ayame's name. Seras sighed.

"Ayame-sama thought that you would say that and, personally, I didn't expect you to react any other way." Seras turned to leave. "Although, Ayame did say something about a motorad, if that means anything to you."

A flicker of fear passed over Kino's eyes.

"I changed my mind, I'm coming with you." Seras paused.

"Alright let's go," said Seras, holding the door open for Kino.

-&--?--&-

Shiro's Office

-&--?--&-

"Ahh...Kino-chan," Shiro said when Seras and Kino entered his office. They were standing in Shiro's richly furnished office, which looked like a strange cross between a Japanese tea house and a Greek temple. Two rows of columns supported the ceiling and framed a rectangular Zen garden. Seras and Kino were standing by the door, near two of Shiro's personal guards, and Shiro himself was sitting behind his desk across the room.

"Where is Hermes? If you've hurt him..." Kino demanded. She was shaking.

"Relax, I haven't done anything..." Shiro said. Relief washed over Kino as she spotted Hermes parked next to the second row of columns, apparently undamaged. She could see why she hadn't noticed him before. He was almost exactly the same color as the table behind him. Seras excused herself and left the office.

"You know, you and that mottorad make a good team, I would hate to see either of you hurt." Shiro said, pressing his fingertips together in a steeple in front of him. He was smiling slightly.

"What do you mean?" Kino's eyes had narrowed slightly.

"Your cooperation guarantees Hermes's safety. In other words unless you want your precious motorad to suffer unimaginable pain, you will do as I command you." Shiro was smiling wider now as he said this.

"I'm not your slave, Ayame." Kino spat. Shiro shrugged and his eyes darkened; he waved a hand at the two guards.

"Carver, Vergil!" The two men, one short and greasy, the other tall and weasel-faced, stood at attention. "Restrain her," Shiro commanded. Vergil and Carver each grabbed one of her arms and pushed her to her knees. Shiro walked over to where Hermes was parked.

"I'm sorry motorad, but this is the only way to make your friend understand." Shiro aimed a forceful kick at Hermes's gas tank, his boot leaving a crater in the metal. Hermes whimpered in pain.

"It painful isn't it Kino." Shiro asked, leering in Kino's direction. Kino kept her head down, letting her bangs hide her eyes. It was painful, but she didn't want Shiro to know that. Shiro walked over to where Kino was kneeling.

Crouching, Shiro used one hand to cup Kino's chin and forced her to meet his eyes. Their eyes met for only the briefest of moments before Kino turned away and looked at the floor again. Apparently satisfied, Shiro stood up.

"I think one more little kick wouldn't hurt." He muttered, more to himself than to Kino. He was smiling as he said this.

"No…" Kino breathed. Shiro paused and turned towards her.

"What was that?" Shiro asked with mock innocence.

"Leave Hermes alone Ayame," Kino said, her voice quavering. "I'll take the punishment."

"KINO..." Hermes whined from his corner.

"Hermes, stay out of this." Kino snapped.

"But… Kino..." Hermes attempted to convince Kino.

"QUIET HERMES!" Kino said sharply. "This is my choice. If anyone's going to suffer it's going to be me." Shiro smiled darkly

"Excellent. Carver, release her." Shiro commanded. The shorter of the two guards stood to attention.

"Ayame-sama, are you sure?" Shiro narrowed his eyes at Carver.

"She accepted that she's the one getting hurt, she won't fight back now," said Shiro, heading back to where Hermes was parked. Carver and the weasel-faced man let go of Kino, and Carver gave her a push in Shiro's direction. Shiro glanced up.

"Carver, Vergil, leave. Extra humiliation is not necessary." The two guards turned around and left the office. After they had closed the door Shiro spoke again.

"Jacket and shirt off please Kino-chan." Kino sighed and slipped off her jacket, chucking it in Hermes' direction. It landed with a soft _fwump_ effectively covering his headlight.

"Kino why..." Hermes started to ask.

"You shouldn't have to watch me suffer Hermes." Kino said sadly. As she finished speaking Kino let her shirt slip off her shoulders. She was shaking slightly. Shiro, who had been leaning against a nearby column, half listening, laughed softly.

"So you do know what's coming," he murmured as he approached Kino.

Kino didn't struggle, but she did wince as Shiro pushed her against the column, face-first. He then tied Kino's wrists together on the far side of the pillar. Kino pressed her cheek against the cool marble of the pillar.

Shiro walked over to his desk and opened a drawer. He withdrew a coiled whip, over fourteen feet in length. He strode back over to where Kino was strung up against the pillar, uncoiling the whip as he went.

There was a whistling sound as the whip flew through the air, and a sickening _thwap_ as it made contact with Kino's back. Kino closed her eyes in pain, as warm blood trickled down her back. Shiro wielded the whip with precision, each stroke burning like fire and tearing the skin open.

Once Kino had received the ten lashes, Shiro coiled the whip up and strode over to his desk. He replaced the whip in its drawer.

"I'll have Seras escort you back to your room." Shiro said, sitting down at the desk and propping his boots up on the neatly organized surface. He pressed a button on a console. The speaker crackled and Seras answered.

"Yes, sir?" Shiro pressed the button again and spoke into the microphone attached to the machine.

"Come to my office immediately." A few moments later Seras knocked on the door and then opened it a crack.

"Ayame-sama?" Seras inquired. Shiro looked up and motioned Seras into the room. She stood awkwardly halfway between Shiro's desk and the door.

"Take Kino back to her room and then tell Carver and Vergil to report to me." Seras nodded and saluted.

"Yes sir! Um…Ayame-sama?" Seras asked nervously.

"What is it, Seras?" Shiro was annoyed his fingers twitching a staccato rhythm against his arm.

"I need something to cover Kino with while we are in the halls…" Seras trailed off pitifully.

"Take the jacket that is on the mottorad." Shiro said tersely. He resumed his tapping without looking at Seras or Kino. His eyes were instead trained on Hermes. Seras picked up Kino's shirt and bra before heading over to where Hermes was propped crookedly against a pillar. She was about to reach for the green jacket that was draped over Hermes's headlamp.

"Not that one, the brown one." Shiro snapped. Seras jerked her hand back and pulled the brown jacket out of the crevasse that it was tucked in. She then walked over to kneel down by Kino. Seras draped the coat over Kino's shoulders and Kino drew it around herself. Seras put a hand under Kino's elbow and stood up.

"Come on, Kino-san. Let's get you back to your room." As they passed Hermes, Kino gently tugged her jacket off of his headlamp.

"Kino, are you hurt?" Hermes asked noticing the blood-stained sand that was stuck to Kino's pants. Kino paused before answering.

"I'm fine Hermes." She didn't like lying to him, but she didn't have a choice. For his own safety it was better that he didn't know she was suffering.

Seras and Kino walked back to Kino's room, making a quick stop by the medical wing for some bandages and antiseptic.

"This may sting a bit," said Seras as she sprayed an antiseptic on the lashes. Seras efficiently cleaned and bandaged the wounds on Kino's back and Kino put her shirt and green jacket back on. Seras handed Kino the brown jacket and they continued to Kino's room.

They walked back to Kino's room and Seras waited until Kino had sat down on the bed in the corner before she spoke up.

"Kino-san, is there anything I could do to help?" Kino looked at Seras with an apathetic stare.

"I would like to be alone for a while, if you wouldn't mind." Kino then lay down with her back facing the door, indicating that the conversation was over. Seras left, closing the door softly. Kino allowed herself to feel the sting of the welts on her back as she buried her face in the brown jacket.

"At least Hermes is safe, though for how long I don't know."


	3. Kino, Captured

Title: The Line between Reality and Fiction

Title: The Line between Reality and Fiction

Author: Phoenix

Betas: Shadow, Tohluse

Chapter: Kino, Captured

Rating: T

Warnings: swearing, violence, dark humor, psychological torture

Disclaimer: ahem, "I am ready to face the firing squads for claiming that I own Kino's Journey" (does actually own the idea of CROSS and several characters)

-&--?--&-

"Let go of me you creeps!" Kino yelled, thrashing against her captors. Shiro's men bodily dragged Kino towards the wall where iron shackles hung menacingly. She fought valiantly against them as they cuffed her to the wall. She tried to swing at them as they backed away, but the chains were no longer than two feet and allowed for little to no movement.

"Be quiet, little missy." Kino growled and threw herself against the chains as Shiro entered the room. He smirked, hand resting on the butt of his gun, fingers of the other hand toying with a collar of lightest brown leather. "Are you going to cooperate?"

"Like hell I will!" Shiro chuckled darkly. He smiled happily sort of like a child that's been told that Christmas is coming early.

"Well, I guess I get to test out my little toy." Shiro walked forward to where Kino was bound to the wall. He took both ends of the collar and wrapped it around Kino's neck. She hissed as she felt a needle prick her neck. Shiro tightened the collar and stepped back.

Kino was confused and a little apprehensive for what came next. She didn't think that he needle was poisoned. She was also fairly sure that Shiro meant to really hurt her. She didn't know what the collar had to do with it.

"You seem confused, little missy." Shiro said, laughing a little. "I'll enlighten you then. That thing around your neck is a tag collar. We use it to train our...pets. Vampires, fairies, demons, and the like. Anything we want to control. Whenever we want to discourage a certain behavior, we activate the tag collar if they're caught engaging in it. Each collar has a different tag or word associated with it. This particular collar's word is kuro."

Kino felt a sudden white hot burst of pain shoot through her body. She felt her throat close up, trapping the scream that would have otherwise escaped. The pain felt like it lasted an eternity, but it lasted a mere moment before Shiro retracted the tag. Kino gasped in pain.

"Exquisite. I do believe that it still works." Shiro looked calmly ecstatic. He walked closer to Kino who had regained some composure. He leaned close to her and whispered in her ear. "Let's see how long you take to break, hmm?" Kino resisted the urge to cringe.

"So, tell me about this motorad of yours. He's a good companion, is he not?" Shiro said after he leaned away. Kino glared at him and leaned back against the wall, lowering her arms as much as she could. "I see. You're not going to talk to me. Kuro."

The pain consumed Kino once more, as blinding as the last time, and nearly twice as hot. A couple tears leaked unbidden form her eyes. Shiro retracted the tag and waited for Kino to recompose herself once more. After she was calm again and the tears had dried on her face, Shiro spoke again, this time pacing patiently in front of her, like a cat toying with a mouse.

"I guess if you aren't going to talk to me, I can talk to you. This tag collar is very interesting. I don't have to be the one to say the tag word, but I am the only one that can stop the pain, or take off the collar. It's really a beautiful thing, being able to witness this pain, sheer ecstasy in my opinion. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside." Shiro chuckled and stroked the butt of his gun almost lovingly. "I can even activate the collar from outside this room, simply by saying Kuro."

Despite the excruciating pain she was in Kino held back her scream, yet she couldn't stop the tears. Shiro left the tag on for a full three seconds before he freed Kino from the pain. The point where the needle in the collar pricked her ached and throbbed in the after effect of the tag. Shiro walked up to Kino again and leaned close to her.

"Oh, don't cry, little girl." He whispered in her ear. Before he pulled away completely, he licked some of the tears off of her cheeks. Kino cringed away, still sore from the tag collar's punishment. Shiro chuckled and pulled away completely. There was a loud knock on the door. "Don't go anywhere, little girl."

Shiro slid open the peephole and looked at the person outside. There was a low mumble from the person in the hallway. Shiro nodded and snapped the peephole shut. He strolled back to Kino and grabbed her chin.

"Hey, little girl, I've got to go now. Behave yourself." He looked at Kino's face before letting go of her chin and strolling away. He undid the locks and dead bolts and opened the door. He stood in the doorway a moment before muttering.

"Kuro." Once again Kino held back her scream as Shiro shut the door. He locked the locks and slid the dead bolts on the outside of the door home. The weasel-faced man, who had been the one to call Shiro out, looked at the door questioningly. Shiro waved his hand and retracted the tag.

"Well what is it, Carver?" The man, Carver, jumped slightly at the venom in Shiro's voice.

"Well it's the motorad sir. You told us to contact you if it tried communicating. It's just been asking for the girl, but now it's asking if the girl is all right. Do you want to go talk to it?" Carver gestured down the hall towards another steel, dead bolted door. Shiro paused a moment before striding purposefully towards the other dungeon where Hermes was imprisoned.

-

Kino looked up tiredly as the door to her cell opened. Shiro stepped in and locked the door. He had a small scrap of metal clutched in his hand as he approached Kino.

"Did you miss me, pet?" Kino glared halfheartedly at Shiro who held up the scrap of metal. Kino looked at the metal, confused. It seemed familiar, and it almost looked like part of one of Hermes' fenders. "Do you know what this is?"

Kino stiffened a growing sense of unease trickling down her spine. She looked up at Shiro, dread evident in her eyes.

"So you do know. Interesting."

"Don't hurt him!" Kino croaked. Her throat hurt from holding in the screams. Shiro chuckled darkly.

"Are you ready to cooperate now?" Shiro held up the scrap of metal, examining the play of light on its surface.

"Don't hurt him!" She said again, stronger this time

"Are you going to cooperate now?" Shiro violently bent the metal scrap with a horrible screeching noise. His expression promised more pain to Hermes if Kino didn't behave. It was a difficult decision, but Kino was decisive.

"Only if you don't hurt him. I'll cooperate if you leave Hermes alone." Shiro stroked Kino's cheek. She cringed and looked down. She hated that she had had to choose.

"Good girl."

-&--?--&-

Chapter number three for you viewing pleasure. I require three reviews before the next chapter goes up.

Stats:

Word Count: 1,176

Pages: 3


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